Teacher explains why he's 'lucky' after revealing to his class that he won't be teaching them next year
He stood in front of his class, not knowing how to break the news to them.
Schools are your second home, and the teachers become your second set of parents. Now imagine how a parent would feel when, after years of building a connection, they would have to leave you to chase their dreams. They may feel guilty for choosing themselves over their students, but on the other hand, gratitude and sadness would make the farewell bittersweet. A PE teacher (@mr.pyper) from Hawaii understood all those feelings like no one else. In a video posted on his TikTok account, he informed his students that he won't be teaching them next year. He didn't shy away and hold back their emotions. Instead, the teacher went all out, telling his students why he was taking such a drastic step while letting his tears roll down his cheeks.
He stood in front of his class, not knowing how to break the news to them. Yet, the teacher knew it was important to tell the kids why he'd decided to bid them goodbye and start a new life, all over again. "I wouldn't be here next year," he finally said after mustering courage. As soon as the teacher made the announcement, the students, shaken by the news, let out a low, sad murmur in unison. "I have accepted a job opportunity somewhere else. This is obviously hard for me; I love being here," he continued speaking with a trembling voice. The PE teacher said there were no problems with the school and that he loved working there, but he had to accept a new opportunity that aligned with his future goals. "The reason it's hard for me is that I am leaving you guys," he confessed, and then he could no longer control his emotions. "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard," the teacher wrote in the caption. The video went viral on TikTok, receiving over 24 million views.
@mr.pyper How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. #teacher #coach #teaching #school #students ♬ original sound - mr.pyper
Teaching, one of the noblest professions, is often underestimated by society. People think it's easy, when in reality, it's far from simple, uncomplicated, and effortless. Excessive workload, emotional exhaustion, lack of administrative support, and low pay often drive them to quit teaching, but it's their students who make them decide against it. In fact, a UK survey of state school teachers and leaders found that among those who had considered leaving, 88% decided against it due to their commitment to the students and to the job. They found that more than half (53%) enjoyed teaching or working with the students, making their decision to quit even harder.
Meanwhile, people loved how the teacher informed his students about his departure while not suppressing his emotions. They praised him for leaving a deep impact on the kids and became overwhelmed as the class fell quiet, hearing the heartbreaking news. For instance, @ms_pinkytoes commented, "I cry at the end of every year when my kids leave to go to high school. I can only imagine how you are feeling. It’s all about the connections we make!" @fayvurs pointed out, "The silence just shows how much respect the kids have for you and care about what you have to say."
Similarly, @ofeliaep4 shared, "This is how I feel right now. I was an instructor for an after-school program, and telling my kids I would be leaving was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But saying goodbye on that last day was even harder; they were my first class, and I hope I made a huge impact in each of their lives." @slimjim wrote, "I can tell that you’ve profoundly and positively impacted these kids' lives, and they’ll always remember you for it." @mg.kittyy commented, "Thank you for being open with them and emotional. It's important for good role models like you to show them that it's ok to cry. They'll remember you forever."
You can follow @mr.pyper on TikTok for more teaching-related content.
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